Friday, July 15, 2016

Here we are, halfway through summer, but it's hard to believe with the relatively cool days and intermittent showers we've had so far. It's easier on the watering chores, but I confess I'm ready for some heat about now.

Each month on Bloom Day, I look around my garden and think I don't have much blooming, but when I get down to photographing what IS blooming, I find I have quite a few flowers to catalog. Let's take a look in a color survey, starting with blue.

This is a promiscuous Eryngium, probably E. planum that started off as 'Jade Frost' but has since crossed over to the "Dark Side" - as in plain green foliage.

I love all the phases of Echinops ritro flowers, from the closed spiky balls like these, to the bright blue opening florets around each head.

Erigeron glaucus, Beach Daisy, is a summer stalwart. You saw it last month, you're seeing it now, and you'll probably see it next month - because, hey... this is as much about documentation as entertainment, right?

Delicate Limonium speciosum 'Blue Diamond' is a far cry from the big, papery blooms of the Statice I remember in bouquets as a child.

A lone Ceanothus 'Victoria' blossom. We had to remove about a third of the plant, but most of what remains is still looking fine.

Moving into purple I have Acanthus spinosa, rearing its spiny bracts.

Are these Eucomus comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy' blooms purple or pink - or both?

A pinky-white froth of bloom on an unknown sedum, courtesy of Patricia of plant lust fame.

Rosa 'Sally Holmes' is having a good summer. Cooler days have prolonged her blooms.

Cistus x obtusifolius blooming happily.

Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' - yet again.

Trachelospermum jasminoides.

Now for some hot color! Geranium cinereum 'Subcaulescens'.

Abutilon megapotamicum 'Red'.

Abutilon megapotamicum.
I'm not a fan of our inherited garden roses, but this yellow blossom was looking too perfect to ignore.

And here are all the orange blossoms: Abutilon 'Tangerine'.

Agastache 'Apricot Sprite'.

Agastache 'Acapulco Orange'.

Punica granatum 'Nana'.

Cuphea 'Tiny Mice'.

An unknown Crocosmia.

Dicliptera sericea, from Uruguay, is supposed to be a hummingbird favorite.

Sphearalcea 'Newleaze Coral' backed by more Catmint.

Lastly, Kniphofia 'Timothy' is just the best shade of soft tomato-orange.

Our monthly host for Bloom Day is Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Check out what else is going on over there.